Electric switch structure



Jan. 22, 1935. J JACKSQN 1,988,688

ELECTRIC SWITCH STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 21, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 27571 G. The/(s47! 5 BY 2 T1 g5 Tlgii ATTORNEYS .Fan. 22, 1935. .1. G. JACKSON ELECTRIC SWITCH STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 21, 1931 2 Sheer,sSh'ee u 2 INVENTOR 5y db?! 6? Jam/(ear? ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES 1,988,688 ELECTRIC swrrcn s'ranc'ruma Y John G. Jackson, Detroit, Mich, to Square D Company, Detroit, Micln, a corpora tion of Michigan Application September 21, 1951, Serial No. 564,242

42 Claim.

This invention relates generally to electric switches and refers more particularly to those of the enclosed type.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a switch of this type wherein switch contacts are carried by and are bodily adjustable relative to a movable part of the enclosure so that they may be in a position to engage cooperating switch contacts' within the enclosure when the movable part thereof is closed or may be in an inoperative position in spaced relation to the contacts when the movable part is closed.

Another object is to provide a switch structure wherein the operating handle for the latch that retains the movable part in closed position is adapted to be held in latching position by a portion of the contact supporting means on said movable part.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a switch structure embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing the doors in open position;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of'Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the sure open at the back and having twoswinging doors 2 and 3 respectively constituting the front thereof. .4 is an insulator block within the enclosure 1 and secured by screws 5 to inturned flanges 6 and '7 respectively at the back of the enclosure. 8 is an auxiliary insulator block extending across the front of the'block 4 substantially midway of its ends and constituting a partition for the enclosure. 9 are brackets secured to the doors 2 and 3 at opposite side' edges thereof adjacent their free ends and having inwardly and outwardly extending flanges or cars 10 and 11 respectively. 12 and 13 respectively are flanges projecting forwardly from the longitudinal edges of the enclosure at opposite ends of the auxiliary block 8 and having curved ends 14 and 15 respectively. 16 are swinging 5 latches engageable with the curved ends 14 and 15 of the flanges for retaining the doors 2 and 3 in closed position and having integral operating handles 17 pivoted on the brackets 9 and frictionally engageable with the outwardly ex- 10 tending flanges 11 of the brackets. 18 are insulator blocks of substantially rectangular configuration journaled in the inwardly extending flanges 10 of the brackets. Preferably these blocks are roundedthroughout their length as 15 at 19 so that they may turn in the bracket flanges 10 from the position illustrated in Figure 3 to the position illustrated in Figure 4 and are provided at their opposite ends with enlargements 20 and 21 respectively having spaced re- 20 cesses or notches 22 and 23 respectively therein for the reception of offset extensions 24 of the flanges 10.

. Referring now to the electrical parts, 25 and 26 respectively are bus connectors extending 25 through openings 2"! and 28 respectively in the block 4 and having spaced substantially flat portions 29, 30, 31 and 32 respectivelywithin openings 33, 34, 35 and 36 respectively in the auxiliary insulator block 8 and constituting switch contacts or terminals. 37, 38, 39 and 40 respectively are fuse clips on the block 4 in substantial alignment with the spaced contacts 29 and 30 respectively; 41, 42, 43, and 44 respectively are fuse clips in substantial alignment with the spaced contacts 31 and 32 respectively; 45, 46, 47 and 48 respectively are connectors secured to the fuse clips 37, 38, 41 and 42 respectivelywand having substantially flat portions 49, 50, 51 and 52 respectively upon the outer sides of the auxiliary block 8 in substantially parallel relation to the contacts 29, 30, 31 and 32 respectively and constituting" cooperating switch contacts; 53, 54, 55 and 56 respectively are connectors secured to the clips 39, 40, 43 and 44 respectively, and 57, 58, 59 and 60 respectiveLv are electrical conductor terminals secured to the connectors 53, 54, 55 and 56 respectively. 60 and 61 respectively are laterally spaced substantially U-shaped switch contacts having the bases R U-shaped spring backers 62 and 63 respectively.

In use, when the doors 2 and 3 are closed and the notches 23 of the blocks 18 are engaged by the offset portions 24 the blocks will be received in rabbets 65 and 66 respectively in the auxiliary block 8 and the U-shaped contacts 60' and 61 will be engaged with the contacts 29, 30, 31, 32, 49, 50, 51 and 52 respectively. When the doors 2 and 3 are opened the electrical parts just referred to will be disengaged and therefore electrically dead. If the notches 22 of the blocks are engaged by the oflset portions 24 of the brackets, then the blocks 18 will be received within the rabbets 65 and 66 when the doors are closed but the contacts 60 and 61 will be substantially parallel to the doors and therefore in spaced inoperative relation to the contacts 29, 30, 31, 32, 49, 50, 51 and 52 respectively.

If desired the words ont-and off may be printed on the blocks 18 and may be observed through openings 6'7 and 68 respectively in the doors 2 and 3 to indicate the position of the U- shaped contacts 60' and 61. Moreover, wire and seals and/or padlocks (not shown) may be engaged with openings 69 in the flanges 11 of the brackets when the handles 1'7 are parallel to the doors for preventing unauthorized access to the electrical parts concealed within the enclosure. In this connection it will be noted that the flanges 11 of the brackets frictionally engage and are adapted to hold the handles in closed position and since the flanges 10 of the brackets serve as bearings for the blocks 18 it will be apparent that these brackets perform dual functions.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door,'spaced brackets on the door, and a rotary insulator block for a switch contact journaled inthe brackets, and means associated with one of said brackets and block for holding the latter against rotation relative to said door.

2. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a hinged door, actuating mechanism for the door including a pivoted operating handle, a support for the handle carried by the door, a switch contact upon the inner side of the door, and a support for the contact carried by the handle support aforesaid.

3. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a hinged door, an operatirighandle upon the outer side of the'door, a switch contact on the inner side of said door, and a common mounting for said contact and handle upon the door including means permitting said handle and contact to be moved independently of each other relative to said door. I

4. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, an insulator block extending across and rotatable relative to said door, an operating handle for the door, and means associated with said handle and door and having portions receiving and constituting bearings for portions of the block.

5. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, a pivotal operating handle for the door, supports for the handle carried by the door and having extensions, a switch contact element, and a rotary support for the contact element journaled in the said extensions.

6. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, brackets carried by the door at spaced points thereof, an insulator block extending between and mounted to turn in said brackets, and a switch contact carried by the block and adjustable to project at substantially right angles to the door or lie substantially parallel to said door.

7. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, brackets secured to the door and having portions disposed at substantially right angles thereto, a rotary insulator block mounted to turn in said portions, and a switch member carried by and movable with said block.

8. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, an electric contact element movable from a position substantially parallel to a position substantially at right angles to the door, a support for said element extending across and mounted to turn upon one side of the door, and means associated with the door and support for detachably holding the element in adjusted position relative to the door regardless of the position of the door relative to the enclosure.

9. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, brackets carried by said door,

common supporting means for said handle and element carried by said door.

11. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, latch mechanism for the door including a handle for opening and closing the door, a support for the handle secured to the door, and an electric switch contact element carried by and insulated from said handle support.

12. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, brackets secured to the door,

latch mechanism for the door including a handle carried by said brackets, and an electric switch contact element supported by and insulated from said brackets.

13. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, brackets secured to the door, latch mechanism for the door including a handle carried by said brackets, an insulator block extending between and mounted to turn in said brackets, and an electric switch contact element carried by said block.

14. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, laterally spaced brackets secured to the door, an insulator block extending between and mounted to turn in said brackets, an electric switch contact projecting from said block and adapted upon rotation of the block to be alternately positioned substantially parallel and substantially at right angles to said door.

15. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, laterally spaced brackets projecting inwardly from the door, and an electric switch contact element support including an insulator block extending between and mounted to turn in said brackets.

16. In an electric switch, an enclosure havin a movable door, brackets carried by the door, latch mechanism for the door including a handle carried by the brackets, an electric switch contact element movable from a position substantially parallel to a position substantially at right angles to the door, a support for said element including an insulator block mounted to turn in said brackets independently of thelatch mechanism aforesaid, and means independent of the latch mechanism for holding the block in any adjusted position relative to the door regardless of the position of the door relative to the enclosure.

17. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, an electric contact carrying insulator block disposed substantially parallel and mounted to turn relative to the inner side of said door, and means associated with the door for detachably holding the block in various positions of rotation relative to the door,

18. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, brackets fixed to the door at spaced points thereof, and an electric contact carrying insulator block disposed substantially parallel to the door and mounted to turn in said brackets.

19. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door provided with an opening, and an electric switch contact carrying member mounted to turn uponthe inner side of the door and having indiciaon different sides thereof portions constituting mountings for the handle.

21. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, a bracket secured to the door, an insulator block journaledin the bracket, and an electric contact carried by the block.

. 22. In an electric switch, an enclosure having amovable door, brackets secured to the door at spaced'points thereof and having substantially parallel flanges, and an insulator block for a' tionally engageable with the other flange.

24. In an electric'switch, an enclosure having a movable door, an insulator. block for a switch contact on one side of the door, a handle on the other side of the door, and a bracket secured to the door and having portions respectively constituting a bearing for the block and a retainer for the handle,

25. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, an electric contact element movable from a position substantially parallel to a position substantially at right angles to the door, and a support for said element extending across and mounted to turn upon one side of the door.

26. In an electric switch, a supporting member, a bracket carried by said member, a rotary switch contact carrier mounted to turn in said bracket, and means carried by said supporting member for detachably holding the carrier in adjusted position relative to the member.

27. In an electric switch, an insulator block, substantially L-shaped fuse clip connectors having their bases secured to thefront face of said block and having theirarm portions disposed at substantially right angles to said face, substantially L-shaped bus connectors having their bases secured to the rear face of said block and having their arm portions extending through the block between and substantially parallel to the arm portions of the fuse connectors, and insulation means on the front face of the block between. the arm portions of the fuse clip connectors and having openings receiving the arm portions of the bus connectors and constituting arc chutes.

28. In an electric switch,'an insulator block, a substantially L-shaped bus connector having its base upon and secured to the back of said block and having its arm portion extending through the block and projecting beyond the front face thereof so as to constitute an electric contact. and a substantially L-shaped fuse clip connector having itsbase upon and secured to the front face of said block and having its arm portion projecting from said front face in substantially parallel relation to the arm portion aforesaid of the bus connector and forming a cooperating electric contact.

29. In an electric switch, an insulator block, fuse clip connectors secured to the front of the block and having portions disposed at substantially right angles thereto, and bus connectors upon the back of said block and having portions extending through the block between and substantially parallel to'the portions aforesaid.

30. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door and provided adjacent an edge of the door with a flange, an electric switch contact member upon the inner side of the door, an electric switch contactmember within the enclosure and adapted to be engaged by the first mentioned member upon closing the door, and means for closing the door to effect the engagement between said contact members, including a handle mounted to swing upon the outer side of the door and having a-crank portion engageable with the flange aforesaid of the enclosure.

31. In an electric switch, an enclosure having two doors mounted in such a way that their free ends will be adjacent each other when in closed position, opposite sides of the enclosure being provided with flanges that project forwardly beyond the edges thereof and span the joints between the free ends aforesaid of the doors, and latch mechanism for the doors including handles having portions mounted to swing on the respective doors and having crank portions engageable with said flanges.

32. In an electric switch, a supporting member, spaced brackets carried by said member, an insulator block extending between and mounted to turn in said brackets, and a switch contact carried by the block and adjustable to project at substantially right angles to the member or lie substantially parallel thereto.

33. In an electric switch, a supporting member, spaced brackets secured to the member and having portions disposed at substantially right angles thereto, a rotary insulator block mounted to turn in said portions, and an electric contact element carried by and movable with said block.

34. In an electric switch, an insulator block, fuse clip connectors secured to the front of the block and having portions disposed at substantially right angles thereto, bus connectors upon the back of said block and having portions extending through the block between and substantially parallel to the portions aforesaid, and an auxiliary block on the front of the block aforesaid between the first mentioned portions and having openings receiving the second mentioned portions and constituting arc chutes.

35. In an electric switch,'a supporting member, spaced brackets carried by said member, a rotary switch contact carrier mounted to turn in said brackets, and means associated with one of said brackets and said carrier for detachably holding the latter in adjusted position relative to the member.

36. In an electric switch, a stationary support, a support movable relative to said stationary support, a rotary block extending across and mounted to turn relative to one side of said movable support, an electric contact fixed to and projecting at substantially right angles from one side of said block, and an electric contact carried by the stationary support and engageable by the contact aforesaid.

37. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, a rotary insulator block upon one side of said door with its axis of rotation substantially parallel to said door, a bracket for supporting said block secured to said door, an electric contact carried by the block and movable from a position substantially at right angles to the door to a position substantially parallel to said door, and an electric contact within the enclosure engageable by the contact aforesaid when it is disposed substantially at right angles to the door.

38. In an electric switch, an enclosure having a movable door, a rotary insulator block mounted upon one side of said door with its axis of rotation substantially parallel to said door, an

electric contact carried by the block and movable from a position substantially at right angles to the door to a position substantially parallel to said door, and an electric contact within the enclosure engageable by the contact aforesaid when it is disposed substantially at right angles to the door.

39. In an electric switch, an enclosure having door, a rotary switch contact carrying insulator block upon one side of the door with its axis of rotation substantially parallel to the door, and supporting means for the handle and block carried by the door.

41. In an electric switch, a stationary support, a movable support mounted to swing relative to the stationary support, an electric switch contact mounted upon one side of the movable support to turn from a position substantially at right angles to said movable support to a position substantially parallel thereto, and an electric contact carried by the stationary support and engageable by the contact aforesaid when it is disposed substantially at right angles to the movable support.

42. In an electric switch, a supporting member, a bracket carried by said member, an insulator block mounted to turn in said bracket, and a switch contact carried by theblock and adjustable to project at substantially right angles to the member or lie substantially parallel thereto.

JOHN G. JACKSON. 

